We were at Local Eatery about a week ago and some of the staff from Local Eatery will be working at Osteria Poggio. They indicated that prices would be somewhat comparable to Local Eatery (on a plated basis) and that the cuisine would be Italian/Italian inspired.

I think that the issue with both Lavinia's and Coe House were that they had trouble maintaining quality and providing differentiation in the market. I am certainly going to try Osteria Poggio when it opens. If it is anything like Local Eatery, it will be a great addition.

i would expext all the eateries will have personel problems this season. I was at a restaurant with a friend near Newfound Lake Saturday night and they had no help. One cook and one waitress trying to handle the whole place, granted it was not a big place but it was busy none the less. Patience will be key to your dining experience this season.

I'm excited that this restaurant is going to re-open with Kevin at the helm. Just curious by the term "partial owner". Do you know who else is going to be involved?

Don't know all the details but I do know that Kevin is teaming up with Chef Kaylon Sweet. Kaylon studied Italian Cuisine at APICIUS International School of Hospitality in Florence Italy...also cooked at the James Beard Foundation. He has quite a passion for Italian cooking. They will be making fresh pasta and even have a wood fired oven. Cool stuff going on.

Don't know all the details but I do know that Kevin is teaming up with Chef Kaylon Sweet. Kaylon studied Italian Cuisine at APICIUS International School of Hospitality in Florence Italy...also cooked at the James Beard Foundation. He has quite a passion for Italian cooking. They will be making fresh pasta and even have a wood fired oven. Cool stuff going on.

I’ve had Kaylon’s food before, he is a very talented Chef, I’m looking forward to the additional boat accessible option for the summer.

Last night Kevin came by and made it a point to insist I attend a private tasting. After I cleared it with the wife I eagerly attended. Before I elaborate about my dining experience I'd like to make it clear that I am in debt to Kevin because the great job he has done at Laconia local eatery has provided me opportunity to remind my staff that the bar continues to rise and we must rise with it or fall to the wayside.

About the tasting; it was truly amazing. I shared a table with Kevin's wife and her close friend as well as the wife of his partner/pasta making Maestro. The tasting was presented in a tapas service style. I lost count but I think it was somewhere in the neighborhood of 16 consecutive dishes came to the table for us all to taste and share. Again I'm vague on the number but we also had six or seven signature cocktails placed in front of us to complement the dishes. Every Single bite I chewed and sip I swallowed was outstanding. Having said that I'd like to state that when you hear this is an Italian restaurant, you may be in for a bit a surprise. This is not layman Italian food. Kevin has created a menu of spectacular items more likely to be enjoyed by the Italian elite. Everything I ate was so good that I'm sure the elite would return for more.

The restaurant was adequately staffed for this event however concerns in regards to the ability to attract a complete and i competent staff worthy of this food are to be expected. If Kevin is successful in attracting the necessary staff I believe it's a safe bet that Osteria Poggia will easily get its fair share and more of the Center Harbor market.

Last night Kevin came by and made it a point to insist I attend a private tasting. After I cleared it with the wife I eagerly attended. Before I elaborate about my dining experience I'd like to make it clear that I am in debt to Kevin because the great job he has done at Laconia local eatery has provided me opportunity to remind my staff that the bar continues to rise and we must rise with it or fall to the wayside.

About the tasting; it was truly amazing. I shared a table with Kevin's wife and her close friend as well as the wife of his partner/pasta making Maestro. The tasting was presented in a tapas service style. I lost count but I think it was somewhere in the neighborhood of 16 consecutive dishes came to the table for us all to taste and share. Again I'm vague on the number but we also had six or seven signature cocktails placed in front of us to complement the dishes. Every Single bite I chewed and sip I swallowed was outstanding. Having said that I'd like to state that when you hear this is an Italian restaurant, you may be in for a bit a surprise. This is not layman Italian food. Kevin has created a menu of spectacular items more likely to be enjoyed by the Italian elite. Everything I ate was so good that I'm sure the elite would return for more.

The restaurant was adequately staffed for this event however concerns in regards to the ability to attract a complete and i competent staff worthy of this food are to be expected. If Kevin is successful in attracting the necessary staff I believe it's a safe bet that Osteria Poggia will easily get its fair share and more of the Center Harbor market.

Best wishes Kevin.

Baygo great review thank you. What were some of the selections that were offered?

Last night Kevin came by and made it a point to insist I attend a private tasting. After I cleared it with the wife I eagerly attended. Before I elaborate about my dining experience I'd like to make it clear that I am in debt to Kevin because the great job he has done at Laconia local eatery has provided me opportunity to remind my staff that the bar continues to rise and we must rise with it or fall to the wayside.

About the tasting; it was truly amazing. I shared a table with Kevin's wife and her close friend as well as the wife of his partner/pasta making Maestro. The tasting was presented in a tapas service style. I lost count but I think it was somewhere in the neighborhood of 16 consecutive dishes came to the table for us all to taste and share. Again I'm vague on the number but we also had six or seven signature cocktails placed in front of us to complement the dishes. Every Single bite I chewed and sip I swallowed was outstanding. Having said that I'd like to state that when you hear this is an Italian restaurant, you may be in for a bit a surprise. This is not layman Italian food. Kevin has created a menu of spectacular items more likely to be enjoyed by the Italian elite. Everything I ate was so good that I'm sure the elite would return for more.

The restaurant was adequately staffed for this event however concerns in regards to the ability to attract a complete and i competent staff worthy of this food are to be expected. If Kevin is successful in attracting the necessary staff I believe it's a safe bet that Osteria Poggia will easily get its fair share and more of the Center Harbor market.

Best wishes Kevin.

So Osteria Poggia will only be for the Italian elite, thanks for the warning.. I don't like being turned down at the door.
BTW what is the definition of an Italian elite?

So Osteria Poggia will only be for the Italian elite, thanks for the warning.. I don't like being turned down at the door.
BTW what is the definition of an Italian elite?

I'm not certain what you got from my post to twist it to "will only be for the a Italian elite"

The "Elite" being Italian or any other nationality tend to seek out higher quality and not make issue of higher costs associated with it. That being said; One does not have to be elite to enjoy good food paired with great wine but if an individual finds satisfaction in imitation soft serve ice cream from a national chain restaurant for $1, that individual may not justify the expense associated with a small portion of homemade gelato for $5. To each our own.

I'm not certain what you got from my post to twist it to "will only be for the a Italian elite"

The "Elite" being Italian or any other nationality tend to seek out higher quality and not make issue of higher costs associated with it. That being said; One does not have to be elite to enjoy good food paired with great wine but if an individual finds satisfaction in imitation soft serve ice cream from a national chain restaurant for $1, that individual may not justify the expense associated with a small portion of homemade gelato for $5. To each our own.

"homemade gelato"? Do you call pouring ingredients into a gelato machine "homemade"?
I'll bet they don't make it any different than any other soft serve machine does..except for the ingredients that is.
I wish them luck in their new venture, I hope they get many many Italian elites.

I'm not certain what you got from my post to twist it to "will only be for the a Italian elite"

The "Elite" being Italian or any other nationality tend to seek out higher quality and not make issue of higher costs associated with it. That being said; One does not have to be elite to enjoy good food paired with great wine but if an individual finds satisfaction in imitation soft serve ice cream from a national chain restaurant for $1, that individual may not justify the expense associated with a small portion of homemade gelato for $5. To each our own.

One more comment and than I'll shut up.

What is imitation soft serve and where can you buy it for $1?
I buy soft serve a lot & I pay almost $5 a cone.

I'm not certain what you got from my post to twist it to "will only be for the a Italian elite"

The "Elite" being Italian or any other nationality tend to seek out higher quality and not make issue of higher costs associated with it. That being said; One does not have to be elite to enjoy good food paired with great wine but if an individual finds satisfaction in imitation soft serve ice cream from a national chain restaurant for $1, that individual may not justify the expense associated with a small portion of homemade gelato for $5. To each our own.

Don't you just love people who always try to spin to the negative?
Don't even have their doors open and Rusty starts cutting the place down.

Don't you just love people who always try to spin to the negative?
Don't even have their doors open and Rusty starts cutting the place down.

This certainly can be topic for discussion SAMIAM, however in order to engage I'd have to invest my time into thinking about the negative in others. On the flipside I recognize so much positive in others to focus on that there is no time left in my day to invest in the negative.

I know you to be a successful individual therefore it wouldn't surprise me if we share parallel thinking.

We are looking forward to the opening next weekend. We will likely come over after bike week and bring along friends.

It is great to have an another farm to table restaurant in the area. Laconia Eatery is a favorite of ours and it will be interesting to see the combination of that influence with traditional (or nontraditional) Italian cuisine.

Seven of us went. We had two pizza's (more like flatbread) for app. Very good. My wife and I had chicken parm. We were warned that it wasn't traditional and boy that was true. Can't say as I was a fan. Sort of a "deconstructed" version. The pasta dishes got good reviews but not rave ones. Reasonable pricing.

We went last night for the first time. Excellent experience. The place has always been lovely and this upscale restaurant does it justice. Upscale in terms of food quality, preparation and creative dishes. The prices were about what one would expect and competitive with the pricier restaurants in the Lakes area.

Moderately busy for a Thursday. Weekends will probably be quite busy..not a brilliant insight but I suspect slowish service should be expected.

The service was very good, knowledgeable about the dishes and enthusiastic about the restaurant. Mike, our server, helped make our experience a good one. Someone made the effort to train the staff.

We had the deviled egg appetizer. TK had squid ink ravioli with a rich creamy broth containing large scallops and a few other things. I enjoyed the lamb bolognese paperdelle pasta. The portions were filling but not huge and both were delicious. Appetizer was also excellent...not the usual deviled eggs.

We will definitely be back. I suggest a peek at the menu before going as this is not the typical red sauce southern Italian...not that there is anything wrong with that.

Went to Osteria Poggio on Friday night @ 6:30PM. The place was already busy, with most tables in most dining rooms (multiple, with different atmosphere in each) filled. Overall, our experience was mostly positive, from the drinks and the the salads (a caesar and a "no lettuce" greek salad, which contained all the usual ingredients - olives, feta, cucumber, etc. - just no lettuce) to the entrees. When our waitperson placed the caesar in front of me, I regretted that I hadn't asked for some added anchovies, but when I tasted it I realized it didn't need them: Anchovy and garlic dominated the flavor, which for me was a big plus. For entrees, I had the Campanelle, which was a mix of fresh pasta, onions, cream sauce, and "crispy soppressata," which was described as a dry salami, but looked more like shaved ham. But it was really good. My wife ordered the filet mignon special, and this was the only negative, in two different ways. First, the steak was butterflied (to speed cooking?) and a bit overcooked (it looked like it had been steamed). But the main problem was when the check arrived: $45 for that filet. Guess it was our fault for not asking the cost when the specials were read to us, but when an item is priced that much above everything else on the menu (which it was, by 50%), this should have been mentioned by the waitperson. On the plus side, her side of pasta with a "four cheese" sauce was great, and very different than mine. Despite the "steak surprise," we'll definitely be back, as the food (mostly) + atmosphere + service (very efficient and knowledgeable) was overall excellent.

Went to Osteria Poggio on Friday night @ 6:30PM. The place was already busy, with most tables in most dining rooms (multiple, with different atmosphere in each) filled. Overall, our experience was mostly positive, from the drinks and the the salads (a caesar and a "no lettuce" greek salad, which contained all the usual ingredients - olives, feta, cucumber, etc. - just no lettuce) to the entrees. When our waitperson placed the caesar in front of me, I regretted that I hadn't asked for some added anchovies, but when I tasted it I realized it didn't need them: Anchovy and garlic dominated the flavor, which for me was a big plus. For entrees, I had the Campanelle, which was a mix of fresh pasta, onions, cream sauce, and "crispy soppressata," which was described as a dry salami, but looked more like shaved ham. But it was really good. My wife ordered the filet mignon special, and this was the only negative, in two different ways. First, the steak was butterflied (to speed cooking?) and a bit overcooked (it looked like it had been steamed). But the main problem was when the check arrived: $45 for that filet. Guess it was our fault for not asking the cost when the specials were read to us, but when an item is priced that much above everything else on the menu (which it was, by 50%), this should have been mentioned by the waitperson. On the plus side, her side of pasta with a "four cheese" sauce was great, and very different than mine. Despite the "steak surprise," we'll definitely be back, as the food (mostly) + atmosphere + service (very efficient and knowledgeable) was overall excellent.

I guess what you describe (about the filet mignon) is what I learned long ago:
Never order steak at an Italian restaurant...

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My husband and I went for the first time this past Friday night and boy are we glad we did! Seated at a window table upstairs and had a very good waiter (wish I could remember his name). Started with a caesar salad to split and it was delicious. What we really liked was that the croutons had been smashed and sprinkled over the salad. That way each bite had a little extra crunch. I had the sausage ravioli with meatballs and it was sos good I wanted to lick the bowl! My husband had the chicken parmesan which he liked but didn't love....maybe a bit to far from a traditional chicken parm. We didn't have dessert. My only thumbs down would be that we waited a very long time for our entrees to arrive.
We will definitely be back!!

My wife and I went a couple of weeks ago, just after they opened. We had a hiccup or two but that is to be expected 4 days after opening. I had the somewhat unusual request to bring my own bottle of wine. It was our 35th anniversary and we had a bottle that we bought in Italy on our 25th so it meant something to us. Anyway, they were very accommodating. They did charge a corkage fee but I expected that. They even decanted it for us.

The food was fantastic. We don't tend to eat as much as we used to but we wanted to try several things on the menu so we asked to split and app (Caparchio), a pasta dish that I can't recall and the squid ink ravioli. All were spectacular. The caparchio came as family style but they brought the other two dishes out in separate plates, which was convenient. The only issue was that the waitress was new and didn't understand that the three dishes should have been spaced out, not brought to the table all at once, but that was corrected immediately once she saw the surprise on our faces.

Something that came as a very pleasant surprise was the squid ink ravioli. We tried it because, well, why not? It sounded interesting. What we got was well beyond what we expected. It consisted of not only the ravioli but also with ample amounts of lobster meat and pan seared scallop. It was fantastic. Because of the timing issue to gave us a dessert on the house. We ordered Berrimisu, which I thought was a little heavy, but my wife liked it.

We went last Friday (6/22) at 5:00; we were a group of eight with two kiddos, 8 & 10, who are used to dining out. "Suites" (sp?), owner or principal, greeted us and reviewed the menu and the specials. Waitress was friendly and attentive. We ordered a bottle of wine and there was small mix-up as we got 2 glasses of wine. Rapid fix with no questions. Although we were all relatives, some we don't see often and the leisurely pace of courses was appreciated so we could visit. (There are other places for fast food.) Kiddos split a chicken Parmesan and others had a variety of entrees. Very accommodating to get the kiddos stated without delay while the rest of us worked on bread, wine, apps, etc and conversation. It was quiet when we arrived at 5:00 pm, but by six, our dining room was full. We had a reservation, but it took a bit of internet search to fined the phone # on yelp. It may have been on FB or the website, but not readily apparent. Overall, a wide variety of menu items and all a happy experience. We'll go back. For the bean counters, eight of us, including drinks and wine came to $370, no dessert. Add tip. At least on a Friday or Saturday, I recommend a reservation, 250-8007. We went by boat (20') and had no problem at 5:00 pm on a Friday at Center Harbor public docks. If I were in the business, looking for faster turnover, I';d simplify (translate) the menu so that the staff didn't have to spend so much time explaining unfamiliar Italian. (Waitress, Megan, was patient, knowledgeable, and helpful that way.)

My wife and I went a couple of weeks ago, just after they opened. We had a hiccup or two but that is to be expected 4 days after opening. I had the somewhat unusual request to bring my own bottle of wine. It was our 35th anniversary and we had a bottle that we bought in Italy on our 25th so it meant something to us. Anyway, they were very accommodating. They did charge a corkage fee but I expected that. They even decanted it for us.

The food was fantastic. We don't tend to eat as much as we used to but we wanted to try several things on the menu so we asked to split and app (Caparchio), a pasta dish that I can't recall and the squid ink ravioli. All were spectacular. The caparchio came as family style but they brought the other two dishes out in separate plates, which was convenient. The only issue was that the waitress was new and didn't understand that the three dishes should have been spaced out, not brought to the table all at once, but that was corrected immediately once she saw the surprise on our faces.

Something that came as a very pleasant surprise was the squid ink ravioli. We tried it because, well, why not? It sounded interesting. What we got was well beyond what we expected. It consisted of not only the ravioli but also with ample amounts of lobster meat and pan seared scallop. It was fantastic. Because of the timing issue to gave us a dessert on the house. We ordered Berrimisu, which I thought was a little heavy, but my wife liked it.

Overall, I think it's a great addition to the area. We'll be back.

When we went, I talked to the manager about bringing wine and they do allow it (and charge a corkage fee which is standard). It is a great option if you like a particular wine or something that is just not feasible to buy/stock at a restaurant. The corkage fee is $25, so it does not make sense unless you have particular tastes or a somewhat expensive bottle.

We went Friday night and it was great.
The service was perfect , very friendly and the chef came out and spent a few minutes talking about the food.
The special, veggie lasagna, was fantastic.
Great wine list.
This is one of the better restaurants on the lake

Very disappointed. Party of 8 with reservations at 8:30. We were not seated until 9:30. Our meals came out 2 entrees at a time every ten minutes. Our server was great but the kitchen was slow and food quality poor.

Samiam they are very accommodating. I went a couple of weeks ago and my wife ordered halibut. It was way undercooked by any standards . They of course replaced it and comped both meals. A more amazing time was the second time i went with family total of seven . We had an outside reservation but another party had used four of the five tables. They volunteered to move a table from the inside to the patio lock stock and barrel. . I have never seen that before. Witness to say we all had a great meal with the exception of my daughter who had a lobster , scollops entree that was also under cooked . As you know running resturants its only a few minutes between raw and over cooked rubber. They maybe still trying to get that balance, service is wonderful and will be back .

__________________
it's tough to make predictions specially about the future

Would those who have dined at Osteria Poggio say it is kid friendly? We enjoy fine dining but now have 2 grandkids in high chairs if we want to go out with the family. They are easy to take out but not looking for “ dirty looks” from staff or other diners.

Is Osteria Poggio kid friendly? I'd say yes to the extent that they are heavy on service. However, this is casual dining as far as timing goes. To me, more for adults who want to enjoy some conversation between courses, and not eat in a hurry. The menu is mostly in Italian and may take some time to explain, and with specials, and perhaps a visit to the table from the chef to talk about tonight's offerings, not a rushed experience.
We went with two grandchildren ( 8 & 10) who routinely eat at "adult" restaurants. They enjoy asking about how something is prepared, can I have it with...?, etc. I don't recall that there was a children's menu. We went at 4:45 pm on a Friday, with a reservation, so meals were served before the room filled. It was full by 6:00 pm. Definitely go early, and understand the menu before you get there. We didn't see booster seats or high chairs, and we didn't see any little kids.

Is Osteria Poggio kid friendly? I'd say yes to the extent that they are heavy on service. However, this is casual dining as far as timing goes. To me, more for adults who want to enjoy some conversation between courses, and not eat in a hurry. The menu is mostly in Italian and may take some time to explain, and with specials, and perhaps a visit to the table from the chef to talk about tonight's offerings, not a rushed experience.
We went with two grandchildren ( 8 & 10) who routinely eat at "adult" restaurants. They enjoy asking about how something is prepared, can I have it with...?, etc. I don't recall that there was a children's menu. We went at 4:45 pm on a Friday, with a reservation, so meals were served before the room filled. It was full by 6:00 pm. Definitely go early, and understand the menu before you get there. We didn't see booster seats or high chairs, and we didn't see any little kids.

I just came back from Italy and although the menus are in Italian, they have copies that have an English translation below each Italian entry, just saying.

We went to OP on 7/19 for our anniversary. Lovely night, terrific food, great service. Looking forward to returning. Next time, will sit outside if possible. Liked it more than Lago which is so terribly noisy inside.

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Enjoyed dinner for two on the patio this PM. Pleasant live music. Quail egg appetizer was good, and quail legs entree also excellent. Wife had meat ravioli- very good! It was crowded and reservations are a must: kitchen was slow but worth waiting for. This was our second time in 2 weeks, and no disappointments. YMMV

We ate there Thursday night. It was busy, the food and service were very good and the menu is interesting.

As far as being in English. There were a number of ingredients that I was not familiar with many of which could have been rendered easily in English. Also, why mention “Magic Dust” as an ingredient as it gives no information useful to the patron. I have no issue with asking the server the identity of a preparation; but I should not have to guess the makeup of “Magic Dust.”

It really is a quibble (this is the Forum) and we all enjoyed our meal.

Oh, just an FYI for the restaurant...on the new professionally printed summer menu “pappardelle” is not spelled correctly.

We ate there Thursday night. It was busy, the food and service were very good and the menu is interesting.

As far as being in English. There were a number of ingredients that I was not familiar with many of which could have been rendered easily in English. Also, why mention “Magic Dust” as an ingredient as it gives no information useful to the patron. I have no issue with asking the server the identity of a preparation; but I should not have to guess the makeup of “Magic Dust.”

It really is a quibble (this is the Forum) and we all enjoyed our meal.

Oh, just an FYI for the restaurant...on the new professionally printed summer menu “pappardelle” is not spelled correctly.

We ate there Thursday night. It was busy, the food and service were very good and the menu is interesting.

As far as being in English. There were a number of ingredients that I was not familiar with many of which could have been rendered easily in English. Also, why mention “Magic Dust” as an ingredient as it gives no information useful to the patron. I have no issue with asking the server the identity of a preparation; but I should not have to guess the makeup of “Magic Dust.”

It really is a quibble (this is the Forum) and we all enjoyed our meal.

Oh, just an FYI for the restaurant...on the new professionally printed summer menu “pappardelle” is not spelled correctly.

Not sure how it was misspelled, but if it had an "a" on the end rather than an "e", it is simply the singular form of that type of pasta.

We ate there Thursday night. It was busy, the food and service were very good and the menu is interesting.

As far as being in English. There were a number of ingredients that I was not familiar with many of which could have been rendered easily in English. Also, why mention “Magic Dust” as an ingredient as it gives no information useful to the patron. I have no issue with asking the server the identity of a preparation; but I should not have to guess the makeup of “Magic Dust.”

It really is a quibble (this is the Forum) and we all enjoyed our meal.

Oh, just an FYI for the restaurant...on the new professionally printed summer menu “pappardelle” is not spelled correctly.

Obviously a quibble to you but you really need to reconsider before you conclude others are quibbling. It's more of a problem for me. My wife has food allergies/ intolerances, having to wait to sit down at table to find out she can't eat anything there isn't going to happen. Calling ahead to ask for a word by word translation of the menu? Nope. So I'm glad they published an English menu.

I get it, they were being clever and trying to set a mood for the restaurant. Good for them for trying, even better for them to publish in English, I'm betting I'm not the only one who had an issue.